Victim cremated amid tension, high security at native village

The funeral rites of 75-year-old farmer Bahadur Singh, who allegedly died in police crackdown on agitating farmers late Friday, were performed amid tension in Bundala village, near Jandiala, on Sunday. Various farmer leaders, who spoke at the village before the cremation, condemned the police action, claiming that the agitating farmers were deliberately targeted.

The funeral rites of 75-year-old farmer Bahadur Singh, who allegedly died in police crackdown on agitating farmers late Friday, were performed amid tension in Bundala village, near Jandiala, on Sunday.Various farmer leaders, who spoke at the village before the cremation, condemned the police action, claiming that the agitating farmers were deliberately targeted.

After the deadlock between the farmers and the administration ended late Saturday, the deceased's family announced that his body will be taken from the mortuary to his village on Sunday morning.

To ensure everything goes peacefully, heavy police deployment was made outside the mortuary. As soon as the vehicle carrying the deceased farmer's body moved out, police vehicles escorted it to the village.While on way to Bundala village, activists of Kissan Sangharsh Committee and other organisations slammed the Amritsar police, saying that their (Amritsar police) claims were wrong.

Slogans such as 'Punjab police murdabad', 'Badal sarkar murdabad' were raised when the procession moved from Amritsar to village.

Moving in a procession, they alleged that the police deliberately beat up the farmers and Bahadur Singh was killed in police action only.

The police, however, had claimed that Bahadur Singh did not die of police action as his body was found about one kilometre away from the dharna site.

At least 30 farmers and about 15 policemen were injured in Friday's clash.

Amritsar deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat said, "All the documents will be prepared for giving Rs 5 lakh to the deceased's family soon. We are also preparing the list of those seriously injured."

After the family denied taking away the victim's body on Saturday, a meeting between was held for hours between DC Ravi Bhagat and farmers to end the deadlock.

COPS ESCORT BODY FROM MORTUARY Heavy police deployment was made outside the mortuary to ensure everything goes peacefully As soon as the vehicle carrying the deceased farmer's body moved out of the mortuary, police vehicles escorted it to the village.

While on way to Bundala village near Jandiala, activists of Kissan Sangharsh Committee and other organisations raised slogans against the government and Amritsar police.